Hey ladies! Welcome to another Member Spotlight, featuring our members — influencers, entrepreneurs, bloggers, and girl bosses alike! Next up: Arienne Bussey, founder of WOMY, wellness teas for sleep, stress, energy, beauty, and detox. You may have met WOMY at our Holiday Member’s Mart, but if you haven’t yet, catch her as a small business seller in our Mini-Mart at Hey Ladies on March 29! Read on to learn about how Arienne got started, what inspired her to start her business, and more!
Q: Tell us a little about you, girl!
A: Hey Girl Hey! My name is Arienne Bussey. I was born and raised right here in Atlanta (Grady Memorial baby here). I attended college at Georgia State University where I studied and obtained a degree in Biology. While I studied I worked in a pharmacy for 6 years which would be the start of my journey to herbal wellness that eventually led to me starting my wellness brand Womy. I currently live in East Point, GA with my husband Kevin( newlywed here!). When I’m not working on new formulations during the night time and weekends for Womy you can find me doing inspections on sushi bars( work for a Japanese company during the day). Totally funny because my Jupiter line runs through Japan on my Astro cartography map. Totally off subject there but reading Astro cartography maps is kind of a thing for me. Music, dance, art, spirituality, and coffee houses are kind of my thing too! Who doesn’t love a heart shaped latte?!
Q: What inspired you to create WOMY?
A: Womy was inspired by my own healing journey. I began having health issues around the age of 27. First it was rheumatoid arthritis. Then I started to have hormonal issues and following that depression decided to join the mix. Back then I was working in a pharmacy and taking RX medicine. Let’s just say they weren’t working. After many failed attempts, I began looking into alternative options. It was there when I started my herbal wellness journey. I began studying plants daily. The first herbs I ever incorporated into my wellness journey were turmeric, vitex, and holy basil. These 3 plants worked so well I became hooked and to this day they are still my top staples. As the years went by, I realized that I was not alone in my health struggles. I met so many women who were having the same type of issues, but had no knowledge of herbal alternatives. I felt it was my duty to provide herbal alternatives and educate other women on how to take back their health with herbs, mushrooms, and superfoods. The sense of purpose eventually led to the creation of WOMY.
Q: What is the process like creating your herbal tea remedies?
A: The process of creating my tea remedies always starts with what wellness challenges women are facing daily. Where is there a need? I do this by first asking women what health challenges they are facing and what remedies they are currently using. I take my own experience into consideration as well. Many of us face the same issues. Based off the feedback, I start formulating my herbal blends. When choosing my organic herbs for each blend, I think short term and long term benefits. In all of my blends, you will find 1-2 adaptogens for the long term benefits. An adaptogen is a plant that helps the body adapt to or remain “unbothered” by biological, chemical, and physical stressors. The first blend never rolls out except to close friends and family. The final blend for each takes 3-5 trial runs each blend before they are ready to put on the market. I have to ensure the herbal combinations are cohesive and symbiotic. This process is so mentally fulfilling for me because I love problem solving in a creative fun way and Womy gives me the opportunity to do so while applying all of my scientific knowledge and pharmaceutical background. In conclusion, Womy tea blend = idea + formulation + plus organic herbs / 3-5 Trial runs.
Q: What advice do you have for women wanting to start their own business/achieving their career goals?
A: Whatever you want to do, just do it — don’t wait for perfection. One of the greatest quotes I’ve heard comes from female entrepreneur Greta Van Riel: “if you aren’t embarrassed by the first version of your product, you waited too late to launch!”. The issue with perfection is that you are always growing so when you finally reach what you once considered perfection, it’s no longer perfection. So what’s most important is starting and giving your best at each step of the process.
Q: What’s next for you and WOMY?
A: Next for WOMY is the expansion of the product line. This year we are adding powder formulations and tinctures to the lineup. We want to make Womy easy to consume, because we understand that sometimes you won’t have time to sit down and sip tea. Accessibility is also what we are working on this year. Finding stockists’ throughout the country is the goal so we can reach as many people as possible.
Q: Tell us about some of the amazing products you will be selling at Hey Ladies!
A: I will be selling 5 organic herbal wellness tea varieties and also debuting a new surprise that you can only see if you’re at the conference. The 5 organic herbal wellness teas I will be bringing are:
CHILLAX | a fan favorite bedtime relaxation tea that has notes of lavender with adaptogens and nervines that will allow the body and mind to whine down. This blend is perfect if you have issues resting at night.
CALM | it’s the day time morrocan mint version of Chillax. It gives your body a sense of calmness and your mind clarity. This blend is perfect for stress and anxiety.
SHERO | it’s a morning mint blend. This blend gives energy and focus. This blend also uplifts the spirit! Perfect to switch out with your morning Joe. This is perfect if you need energy, focus, or an overall mood boost.
GLOW | this blend is a daily skin vitamin with a hibiscus berry flavor. It enhances the beauty by increasing collagen production and purifying the blood.
KTHXBYE | this caffeine free organic chai blend helps cleanse and detox the body by optimizing the function of the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system. This blend is perfect if you’ve been over indulging.
There you have it, ladies.
A little peek into Arienne’s amazing journey with her tea brand, WOMY! Be sure to follow along with Arienne on Instagram and learn more + purchase her tea remedies here. If you’ll be at Hey Ladies on March 29, be sure to stop by to meet Arienne and shop WOMY! Grab your ticket here.
